At least four spectators were slightly injured this morning at the Neste Rally Finland (one of the World Rally Championship events), after one of the cars left the road. The accident happened on the 2nd special stage, when the Mitsubishi of Ari Laivola swerved into the crowd shortly after the start of the stage. Laivola was competing in the Group N category.
One of the injured was taken to hospital for treatment and the other three received attention at a local health centre. The Competition Director Simo R. Lampinen reported to the Finnish News Agency that other spectators had escaped the incident with a few scratches.
SS2 was immediately suspended following the accident, and all drivers who had not completed the course were given calculated times. The third stage went ahead as scheduled.
In 1996, one spectator was killed and 32 injured when a Danish driver lost control of his car in the centre of Jyväskylä and ploughed into the crowd.
After four special stages of this year’s rally, the lead was held by Harri Rovanperä in a Peugeot 307. Rovanperä set the fastest times on all of the first three stages. Finns and Peugeots dominated in the early stages, with Sebastian Lindholm and Marcus Grönholm occupying 2nd and 3rd spot.
Last year’s WRC Champion Petter Solberg (Subaru), who was lying 2nd in the points table this season, was forced to retire on SS4 after a crash that wrecked his front suspension. Current WRC leader Sebastian Loeb (Citroen) is well down the field in 11th place. The rally continues until Sunday.
